Improvement in wash-boards



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHhT YV. LATCHER, OF EDINBURG, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASH-BOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,921,1latcd January 27, 1874; application filed January 17, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. LATCIIER, of Edinburg, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in rash-Board, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of wash-boards which are provided with a central rubbing surface of wood, and with two metallic corrugated surfaces on opposite sides of the same, washboards of this description having heretofore been constructed with a convex or cylindrical cen tral bead or rib, while I, in contradistinction to this, propose to employ a wide and perfectly flat strip of wood, which is ribbed to v form a rubbing surface on both sides, and

channeled at its edges to receive the corrugated metallic plates. The invention further consists in extending the central wooden portion above the rubbing surface, so as to form a shoulder or support for sustaining the soap when not ink use, the upper end of the wooden rubbing` strip bearing against or embracing the lower edge of an upper tranverse board, which terminates at such a distance from the rubbing surface as to form an open space for the escape of the water.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my wash-board. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line :v x, Fig. l. Fin'. 3 is a transverse section on the line y y, Fig. 2.

The frame of the wash-board is principally composed of the parallel side bars A A, which are connected at their upper ends by a crossbar, B. rIhe inner sides of the side bars are grooved or channeled throughout nearly their entire length, so as to receive the ends of the Aupper cross-bar or plate C, which terminates at such a distance from the upper edge of the rubbing surface or board proper, so as to form an open space, I), which is designed to carry the water back into the tub which has been carried up by the clothes. rIhe corrugated zinc or metallic plates -E E, which compose the greater portion of the rubbing surface, are sustained in position byinserting their side edges into the grooved side-boards of the frame and into grooves formed in the sides of the central wooden strip or bar F. Said wooden strip, which is made, preferably, from maple, and

broad and at, covers one-third, more or less, of the entire area of the rubbing surface, and is grooved and ribbed transversely on both sides, so as to form double-fluted rubbing surfaces, and projects to some extent abovethe metallic rubbing surface. The sides of the wooden strip F are beveled off, so as to avoid forming angular abrupt terminations of the ribs, which wouldinj ure the clothes. In order to secure the wooden strip in position, I groove or channel the loweren'd ofthe same, so as to cause it to embrace the lower cylindrical cross-V bar or round Gr of the wash-board frame, when tted in positin, said roundbeing` also grooved for the reception of the lower end of the corrugated metallic plates. The wooden rubbing board or strip is extended above the rubbing surface, and is recessed at its upper end, so as to embrace the lower edge of the top board C,

an opening being also made through the stripfor the passage of the upper round H, which is grooved and employed for the same purpose as the round G. Instead of embracing the top board C, as shown, the upper end of thc wooden rubbing-board may terminate under, and abut against, the lower edge of the board C, so as to form, in both instances, a shoulder or support, I, for sustaining the soap when not in use. The upper end of the rubbing-board may, for the latter purpose, be made concave, so as to more effectually hold the soap. v The frame of the wash-board, as well as the wooden Vrubbing-board, are also rmly secured and braced, in order to prevent warping by the prolongation of the latter above the rubbing surface, so as to embrace or abut against the top board C.

In practice it is found that a wash-board, constructed as above described, with a central broad rubbing surface of wood, and with metallic corrugated surfaces located at the sides of the same, is superior, in many respects to a wash-board provided with a central cylindrical ribbed bar of wood, for the reason that the wooden rubbing surface being broad and pci" fectly hat the clothes, which are moved up and down on the same, are subjected to a rolling or wringing action, which is conducive of cleansing the same in a more expeditious manner than in the ordinary wash-boards. Another point of advantage lies in the fact that the wooden rubbing surface bein g made perfectly at, the saine may be made of any desired Width Without raising it above the metallic rubbing surfaee,While in a Waslrboard provided with a cylindrical central bar, a corresponding enlargement in Width of the same would also have the effect of eausin g said bar to project above the metallic rubbing portion to such an extent as Would :render it objectionable and inoperative for the purpose for which it is designed.

B y eonstructin g awash-board with a Wooden central rubbingsurface, and With two corrugated rubbing surfaces located on both sides ci the same, I also combine the advantages of of the Wooden Wash-board With those of the metallic board for'enabling fabrics of various kinds or dii'erent textures to be rubbed either on the Wooden or metallic portion of the board wit-hout reversing the board.

rlhe Wash-board is provided With double rubbing surfaces, in order to render it susceptible of being reversed for operation on both si des.

Another advantage derived by using a flat I rubbing-board is attributable to the fact that the saine may be formed of a plain board or plank, in contradistinction to a rubbing surface which is turned into shape by a lathe.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a Wash-board possessing a doublefaeed wooden and metallic rubbing surface, the flat corrugated Wooden strip F, extending above said rubbing surface to embrace or abut against the top board of the frame, and terminating apruptly to form a soap-support, I, and to strengthen the frame, as herein set forth.

2. A Wash-board, provided with a doublefaced metallic and Wooden rubbing surface, and with an opening, D, for the passage of Water, located on both sides of the central flat Wooden rubbing surface F, as herein shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of January, 1874.

` J. WV.' LATCHER.

Witnessess W. J. lEY'roN, JAMES L. Nonnis. 

